Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I was thinking today like wife said It happened to me sometimes but every year I had to repaint inside ther auger, I'm thinking in put in a plastic shield about 1/8 thick and rivet on the bottom could this be a good idea?

Walby

I second the thoughts that rivet holes would just promote rust (don't use aluminum rivets, you would have to paint plain steel rivets), plastic could also trap moisture between it and housing. 

I don't know what the condition your paint is in, but the previous owner of my 1974 Ariens 824 just sprayed the machine with WD40 at the end of each season.  I don't know if he did it for each of the 26 or so years he owned it, but I have continued the tradition for last few years (although I use LPS3 instead).  The inside of the auger and impeller housings, impeller, and augers all still look pretty good to me- a little rust, but mostly paint.  Looks a lot better than my 1988 ST824, but that was when the paint just didn't adhere well and peeled off in sheets. 

I would just spray it with some type of protectant (your choice) at the end of each season. 

Ralph

I shudder to think what would happen when that piece of plastic decide to get loose and is hit by the spinning auger. It will shred up, probably jamming the machine and if you are lucky, break a shear pin instead of damaging the motor. I'd continue with painting the surfaces, but building up a decent thickness with several medium coats of paint, sanding lightly with extremely fine sandpaper (400-600 grit) betreen coats.

am i right in presuming your just trying to prevent excessive paint wear in the chute? if so another possibility worth trying is pull the chute off if possible and take it to the local body/paint shop (or if one is set up with a good ventilation system, respirator & protective clothing, it can be done at home)  and have the inside painted with Emron. we've used it for years in high wear areas with exellant results. painting with it at home requires protective clothing though, its more toxic than enamel or laquer.

SLIP PLATE

I agree on the painting with a hard durable paint. another to consider is 'POR-15'. quite pricy..but unbeatable in toughness. I have used it several times. but if used..to keep a gloss look needs to be top coated with a 'finish' coat. recomend their own POR-15 final coat. I have no ties to them, Just very satisfied with their results. POR-15 gets 'stronger' with moisture! unlike other paints. but do follow insructions as far as 'not' putting on a sanded surface..put right on rust. leaves a smooth finish anyway.   Some of the snow in auger area may get behind plasic when it melts in shop/garage and some of that snow still might have road salt in it to a point...not good Idea.      just my 2 cents- Good Luck        Geno

It's a working machine, it will scratch and it will get some surface rust. As long as you don't store it wet it will be decades before it even begins to matter. Meanwhile The chances of an insert catching or breaking free are fraught with posibilities of disaster.

If it really bothers you the go the POR-15 route as mentioned.

Pete

I think you guys really got me on this I will spray some WD40

Hey Walby,  Did they beat you down , Huh,  well they are probably right.   When I do other peoples machines,  I like pouring motor oil, in an old can and using a paint brush on the rust.  Naturally when I fix em they don't come back  (yeah right) so occasionally I go over to their house and visit them, just to see how the rust is doin,  the oil seems to hold up over the good part of a year. The rust hardly progresses, even on the ones that are sort of pot metal cheap.  Nothing against WD40, but I think it dissappears off the metal over time faster than straight oil. 

Ben07

I just rub candle wax on it. I used to have some ski wax but I lost it.

Ben07 wrote:

Beat down?  That was the farthest from my intention and others can chime in if it was theirs but if that was the case it was not evident in their posts.  Maybe it would work if it was done right and pending how he uses his machine?  What I do know is what mine and my father's machines go through when we use them and I don't care how well the darn thing has been riveted in place and or glued down and sealed it ain't staying there for the long haul and when it comes loose I can see it just tearing the machine up.  My Honda has both auger and impellor shear bolts, so that may save me but I wouldn't put money on where that plastic could get into and jam up and damage before the pins went.  I have had dog toys that were like big frozen stuffed animals that my dogs stole from the neighbors dog actually get into my impellor and stall the machine cold once and a plactic toy they stole stall it again, the impellor bolt did not break so it is one tough cookie.  The potential damage the plastic could do to my impellor etc. before the bolt breaks is scarey to even think about because it might not.  This is going through my mind and his reason for doing this is cosmetic?  There are many great ideas posted here that folks do to their equipment and I envy them their time and skills and ingenuity and success, I don't see this as one of them and I for one was trying to prevent him from a potential disaster.  Also not a single post was in any way insulting or derogatory much less a put down that I could tell.  I thought we were all pretty nice about giving him all of the reasons why he should not even try it.

C